A number of bicycle accessories have been developed for young children who wish to emulate riding or operating motorcycles and other similar motorized vehicles. In an earliest form, it was determined that playing cards held by clothespins or other supports inserted between the stokes of a bicycle tire could create a motorcycle like sound.
Later versions, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,558 to Randmae, U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,178 to Warneke, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,357 to Munro, each describe an accessory having a flap or other shaped portion which directly engages with the spokes of a bicycle wheel and produces a repeatable sound when the spokes interact with the flap.
It has been found, however, that spoke engagement can have a deleterious effect on the bicycle wheels, wherein the spokes may prematurely break due to repeated contact with the flap-like portions of these assemblies.
A number of other accessory mechanisms for this purpose, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,350 to Gorke, U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,682 to Fernstrom, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,738 to Allen utilize engagement with the exterior of the bicycle wheel. These mechanisms, however, are fairly complex in nature requiring sophisticated forms of attachment to the bicycle frame or wheel.
There is a perceived need to provide a simple and effective sound-producing accessory which does not engage the spokes of a bicycle wheel.